16,000 stranded passengers successfully accommodated during airspace closures: Qatar Airways COO

On February 28, Qatar Airways COO Abdullah Ali announced that the airline successfully accommodated 16,000 stranded passengers amidst airspace closures across the region. Speaking at an open media day at Hamad International Airport, Ali credited the carrier's preparedness for the crisis, citing experience from the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The airline's Integrated Operations Center, aircraft maintenance facilities, and Customer Support and Disruption Management Center all contributed to an effective emergency plan. This plan safeguarded and rescheduled the flights of approximately 16,400 passengers stranded inside Qatar and in various international destinations.

Ali emphasized that passenger and crew safety remained paramount, leading to the relocation of stranded Doha passengers to hotel accommodations at the company's expense. The airline provided over 15,000 meals and booked around 15,600 hotel rooms across 61 hotels in Doha to house all stranded individuals.

To facilitate rebooking and transport, the airline deployed field staff 24/7 at the 61 hotels, coordinating with guests and evaluating operational solutions for flight rebookings and journeys back to home countries. Qatar Airways also coordinated with Mowasalat and Saudia for special flights and chartered bus transfers to reunite stranded passengers with families in Doha.

Call centers handled over 70,000 daily interactions, with rebooking capacity surging to 8,000 passengers per day. For the 8,400 passengers stranded across the global network, Ali praised coordination with Qatar's Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, international embassies, and diplomatic missions. Starting March 7, targeted evacuation and repatriation flights were launched in coordination with these entities, ensuring all passengers reached their destinations safely.

Ali attributed these achievements to a unified organizational structure integrating airline and airport management, enabling rapid decision-making. He reaffirmed Qatar Airways' commitment to safety, service excellence, and continuous refinement of its operational framework for future challenges.